Category: News

Proposed Council Bill Would Push Pedicabs 50 Feet Away from Broadway Houses

A trio of City Council members—Keith Powers, Erik Bottcher, and Chris Banks—has drafted legislation that would bar pedicabs from stopping, parking, or loading passengers within 50 feet of any Broadway theater entrance. The measure follows a surge of complaints from residents and theatergoers who say the tricycle taxis clog sidewalks and blast music such as “Empire State of Mind” during performances.

If adopted, the bill would also order the Department of Transportation to install signs marking “pedicab-restricted zones” around the Theater District.

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Supporters: Protect the Broadway Experience

Powers, whose district covers Midtown and parts of the East Side, said constituents routinely report noisy pedicabs outside stage doors. “We’re trying to get people back into seats and ensure their night at the theater is universally enjoyable,” he explained. The Times Square Alliance and the Broadway League back the proposal; League president Jason Laks called unregulated pedicabs “a significant challenge for audiences, staff, and law enforcement.”

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Drivers: Bill Misses the Real Problem

Kenneth Winter, co-founder of the 220-member New York Pedicab Alliance, concedes that loud music, pushy sales tactics, and hidden prices plague the industry. Still, he argues the legislation targets legitimate drivers rather than the estimated 90 percent of pedicabs that run without required licenses, registration plates, or liability insurance. “This won’t stop the bad actors,” Winter said. “It just takes income away from people operating in good faith.”

He blames the city’s weak enforcement—licenses issued without background checks and rare prosecution of unlicensed operators—for letting the problem fester. “It’s a mess the city doesn’t seem interested in cleaning up,” he added.

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Enforcement Already Ramping Up

In December, NYPD officers seized dozens of cabs they said were operating illegally in Midtown. Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said such crackdowns show the need for clearer rules: “This bill is a first step toward holding unscrupulous operators accountable, though it won’t solve everything.”

The measure remains in committee, and a public hearing date has not yet been set.

For more information:

https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/a-new-bill-would-ban-pedicabs-from-broadway-some-drivers-say-it-misses-the-point

Council Bill Seeks to Quiet Pedicabs Near Broadway Theaters

A trio of New York City Councilmembers—Keith Powers, Erik Bottcher, and Chris Banks—has introduced legislation to keep pedicabs at least 50 feet away from Broadway theater entrances, citing mounting complaints about noise, sidewalk crowding, and price-gouging by unlicensed operators.

The proposed law would:

Prohibit pickups and drop-offs within 50 feet of any theater

Require the Department of Transportation to post “pedicab-restricted zone” signs

Supporters say the measure would help audiences enjoy shows without hearing blaring tunes like “Empire State of Mind” from idling pedicabs and would encourage visitors to return to Broadway as the industry rebounds.

“New Yorkers want a calmer, more welcoming theater experience,” Powers said. “This bill supports Broadway’s recovery and keeps the area manageable.”

Pushback from Licensed Drivers
Kenneth Winter of the New York Pedicab Alliance argues the plan punishes the minority who follow the rules while ignoring an estimated 90 percent of drivers who operate without proper licenses or insurance.

“Enforcement is practically nonexistent,” Winter said. “Licensed drivers will move, but illegal ones will keep doing business as usual.”

Industry Backing
The Broadway League and Times Square Alliance both endorsed stricter oversight. Jason Laks of the Broadway League called unregulated pedicabs a “significant challenge” for theatergoers and staff alike, while Times Square Alliance president Tom Harris said the bill “takes a needed step toward accountability.”

Next Steps
The proposal is still in committee; no hearing date has been set. Meanwhile, NYPD crackdowns—such as a December sweep that seized dozens of illegal pedicabs—highlight ongoing enforcement gaps the bill aims to close.

For more information:

https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/new-york/2025/05/19/new-york-bill-would-bar-pedicabs-near-broadway-theaters/

City Council Bill Aims to Silence Pedicabs Outside Broadway Theaters

A new proposal from the New York City Council could soon bar pedicabs from operating directly outside Broadway theaters, in response to long-standing complaints about noise and harassment.

The bill, introduced by Councilmembers Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, would ban pedicabs from parking, stopping, or picking up and dropping off passengers within 50 feet of any theater entrance in the Theater District.

“As much as we love Alicia Keys’ ‘Empire State of Mind,’ there’s a time and place for it,” one of the bill’s sponsors said, referencing the song frequently blasted by pedicab drivers outside shows.

For years, theatergoers and residents have voiced frustration over pedicabs blaring music that disrupts performances and crowding sidewalks while aggressively soliciting customers.

Councilmember Bottcher acknowledged that pedicabs could be a fun and sustainable transportation option, but said current conditions have “gotten out of hand.”

“Many drivers are illegally blasting music that interferes with live theater,” he said. “This bill is about restoring some peace and order to the area.”

The Times Square Alliance has voiced support for the legislation. Its president applauded the councilmembers for addressing what he called “the chaos of the pedicab industry that plagues theatergoers.”

If passed, the law would establish clear no-pedicab zones around theaters and empower the Department of Transportation to enforce them.

For more information:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/nyc-puts-forward-bill-to-ban-pedicabs-near-broadway-theaters/6249943/

Why NYC Pedicabs Suddenly Popped Up in Park View and Shaw

During a recent walk down the 700 block of Hobart Place NW, I spotted something unusual: a cluster of pedicabs bearing New York City license plates. At first glance it seemed random, but there’s a straightforward explanation—Inauguration Week economics and security.

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The Inauguration Playbook

• High-demand window: Uber and traditional taxis were pushed outside tight Secret Service security zones. For inauguration-ball guests paying upwards of $5,000 per ticket, a pedicab charging $8.99 per minute felt like a small premium compared with standing in the cold.
• Package deal: Each out-of-town driver shelled out $1,600 – $1,800 for a bundled package covering:
  1. Pedicab rental and transport from NYC
  2. Budget lodging (dorm-style hostel beds or large Airbnbs) in Shaw, Park View, and near RFK Stadium

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Why They Parked in Neighborhood Streets, Not Downtown

1. Garage lockdowns: Secret Service shut many central garages—including those normally used by local pedicab operators—making downtown storage impossible.
2. Cost control: Even if a garage were available, renting space would have piled extra costs on top of the already steep package price. Residential streets near hostels offered the cheapest alternative.

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The Result

• Quiet days, busy nights: Locals saw rows of idle cabs during the day, but bursts of activity whenever formal events let out and ride-share apps couldn’t get past security checkpoints.
• Multilingual crews: Drivers hailed from France and beyond, reflecting the international pedicab circuit that trails major events.

So, no secret HQ—just a practical response to tight security, sky-high downtown prices, and tourists willing to pay for a warm, front-door ride when other options froze up.

For more information:

https://www.popville.com/2025/01/mystery-pedicabs-dc-park-view-new-york-pedicabs/

Veteran Pedicab Drivers Launch Cleanup Campaign as NYPD Intensifies Crackdown

With hundreds of unlicensed pedicabs flooding Midtown and tourist scams on the rise, two longtime drivers are rallying their peers to salvage the industry’s battered reputation.

Sweeps and Seizures
The NYPD’s “Operation Front Door” has already confiscated 568 pedicabs city-wide this year—including 14 in a single Midtown North sweep—storing many impounded trikes in a Hell’s Kitchen lot at 11th Avenue and West 40th Street. Driver Kenneth Winter says officers have stopped him at least ten times in the past two months, a level of scrutiny he actually welcomes.

The New York Pedicab Alliance
This fall Winter (20 years behind the handlebars) and fellow veteran Makan Camara (16 years) founded the New York Pedicab Alliance (NYPA). Their goal: persuade colleagues to follow licensing rules, display honest rates, and ditch practices that alienate locals and visitors alike.

“We used to be affordable, ethical, and fun,” Winter told W42ST. “Now too many newcomers treat it like a gold rush.”

Licensing Gaps and Sky-High Costs
City data highlight the scope of the problem:

Metric	Count
Licensed pedicab drivers	742
Active business licenses	73 (covering 98 registered cabs)
Estimated cabs on the street	Up to 2,000 (NYPA estimate)

Liability-insurance costs have ballooned from roughly $700 per cab pre-pandemic to as much as $5,000, prompting some fleet owners to rent trikes to anyone willing to pay—and many drivers to operate without paperwork.

Sticker-Shock Fares and Endless Earworms
Some illegal operators hide tiny rate signs—$8.99 per person, per minute is common—leaving families with bills that run into the hundreds. They also lure riders with neon lights and an endless loop of “Empire State of Mind.” Winter, a licensed tour guide, counters by charging a flat $35 anywhere between Central Park and 34th Street.

Grassroots Enforcement
NYPA has already hosted training sessions in Central Park (drawing 100-plus drivers) and created a WhatsApp group of nearly 200 to flag police activity and share compliance tips. Winter and Camara are scheduling meetings with city agencies, community boards, and precinct commanders to push for:

• Stricter action against unlicensed fleets
• Designated pedicab stands
• Permission to use bike lanes

“We know we have an image problem, and we’re fixing that first,” Winter said. “Pedicabs can be ambassadors for New York City again—if we get the ethics back.”

The Central Park Conservancy has proposed a major redesign to improve safety and flow on the park’s Drives, focusing on better coexistence among various users, including pedestrians, cyclists, electric scooters, tourists, horse-drawn carriages, and pedicabs. The study acknowledges that the Drives were originally designed for horse-drawn carriages and need updating for today’s users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists.

Key highlights for pedicabs include the formation of a Pedicab Reform Working Group to address and improve their operations. This is part of broader medium-term recommendations to enhance safety and organization across the Drives. Other changes that may impact pedicabs include:

Near-term goals: Better separation of pedestrians and faster-moving traffic, such as cyclists and pedicabs, along with consistent allocation of road space.

Medium-term goals: Redesign of high-conflict areas, new signals for bikers and pedestrians, and improvements to bike infrastructure that could indirectly affect pedicab routes.

Long-term goals: Raised pedestrian lanes in crowded areas, reducing conflicts that pedicabs often navigate.

The redesign aims to balance safety with functionality for all park users, including creating a safer and more efficient system for pedicab operations.

For more information:

Conservancy Pushes For Major Central Park Safety Redesign: Traffic Light Removal, New Bike Lanes, Pedestrian Safety At Crosswalks

A Central Park pedicab tour guide, Mactor Sarr, sparked outrage by displaying an anti-Israel sign on his pedicab, citing casualties from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and attributing blame to U.S. support. A Jewish woman who encountered the message expressed shock and described it as offensive and inappropriate. Sarr, who has been a tour guide since 2012, said he aimed to voice his perspective on the war but insisted it was not meant to target Jewish people, only the Israeli government’s actions.

Critics, including legal experts and politicians, condemned the display as fueling antisemitism in New York City. Sarr claimed he received minimal backlash, recounting one incident where someone accused him of supporting Hamas. He maintained he hoped not to offend anyone with the message.
For more information:

https://nypost.com/2024/11/09/us-news/nyc-pedicab-guide-pedals-anti-israel-message-in-central-park

The NYPD has launched “Operation Front Door,” a campaign aimed at addressing quality-of-life issues in New York City, with a focus on protecting tourists from pedicab scams and illegal street vendors. The operation is designed to prevent tourists from being overcharged and harassed by pedicab operators who often use deceptive pricing, such as charging $8.99 per minute. On Wednesday night, officers impounded nearly two dozen pedicabs for code violations. Illegal street vendors selling counterfeit goods were also targeted. Mayor Eric Adams, addressing the initiative remotely, emphasized the importance of tourism for the city’s economy and the need to maintain a positive image for visitors, especially with the holidays approaching.

For more information:

https://abc7ny.com/post/new-york-city-nypd-cracking-down-pedicab-scams-fall-tourism-season-picks/15293298

The NYPD launched “Operation Front Door” to crack down on illegal pedicabs and street vendors in tourist hotspots like Times Square and Grand Central Terminal. Many unregistered pedicabs were found swindling tourists with deceptive pricing and illegal equipment such as speakers, lights, and motors. The operation led to the seizure of dozens of pedicabs, and operators will not get their property back without proper registration. The initiative also targeted vendors selling counterfeit goods, with police focusing on confiscating the illegal items rather than arresting low-level sellers. At least two dozen pedicabs were seized, and three arrests were made. This effort is part of a larger initiative to address quality-of-life crimes in the city.

For more information:

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2024/09/12/nypd-cracking-down-on-illegal-vendors-and-pedicabs

The NYPD launched “Operation Front Door” in Midtown Manhattan to address pedicab price gouging and illegal street vending, which officials say are negatively impacting the area’s quality of life. Officers seized numerous unlicensed pedicabs with violations, including illegal motors and loudspeakers, and shut down vendors selling illegal products. The operation was initiated in response to complaints from both locals and tourists about excessive pricing and unlicensed vendors. Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the importance of maintaining Times Square as a welcoming destination for tourists. The NYPD also confirmed ongoing investigations into other quality-of-life issues, such as open-air drug markets.

For more information:

https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/nypd-cracking-down-on-pedicab-price-gouging-illegal-street-vendors-in-midtown